Southwest Alberta Regional Search & Rescue rescued an injured man on Friday, February 3, 2023, following an avalanche out of bounds near Castle Mountain Resort. (Photo: Castle Mountain Resort)

By Sarah Jones

Man injured in avalanche near Castle Mountain Resort

Feb 6, 2023 | 2:05 PM

PINCHER CREEK, AB – One man was rescued by search crews near Castle Mountain Resort over the weekend.

Castle Mountain Resort (CMR) Mountain Safety received a call from 911 dispatch that an individual was injured in an avalanche around 3:40 p.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023.

Emergency dispatch shared the coordinates of the victim, and CMR Mountain Safety determined he was located outside the ski area boundary.

As a result, the RCMP and Southwest Alberta Regional Search and Rescue (SARSAR) were called in to assist.

At 5:15 p.m., two SARSAR members went out to locate the individual via the Syncline Valley. It took just over three hours to reach the man, who remained in stable condition.

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SARSAR members believe the man was carried by the ‘size two’ avalanche approximately 250 meters over rocks and through trees, where his fall was eventually blocked by small trees.

Sizes of avalanches range on a scale from one, being fairly small, to five, being the largest known slide. A ‘size two’ avalanche is considered big enough to bury, injure or kill a person.

The victim sustained injuries that prevented him from being able to climb down the hill, so the rescue party made the decision to shelter in place overnight until an air team could extract the injured individual in daylight.

At about 11:40 p.m., a second team of SARSAR members was sent out with extra supplies like food, water, extra clothing, and sleeping bags to make the overnight stay more comfortable.

They reached the original team and victim at 1:05 a.m. on Saturday, before returning to the CMR site shortly afterward.

Kananaskis Country Public Safety began its flight to the extraction point before 7:00 a.m. Saturday and arrived at the scene at 9:35. The injured man was then slung out by helicopter and handed over to EMS.

By 10:00 a.m. Saturday, all rescuers had safely returned to the CMR Mountain Safety Office.

CMR would like to thank all parties involved in the successful rescue mission, including the Pincher Creek RCMP, Southwest Alberta Regional Search and Rescue, Kananaskis Country Public Safety, and Pincher Creek Emergency Services.

Details on the identity and condition of the injured man have not been released.

Read more at Lethbridge News Now.